Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-31

I
are taken to the bride in a temple
| like chair called the Dragon Car, whicl
is accompanied by the bridal process
sion, and in which the bride is takel
to the Imperial palace at the prope
hour. This chair is placed in front o
the brides house several hours befor'
the time of her departure.
Everything is now in readiness TO
the great ceremony, with but one ex
ception. This is the barricading o
the entrances of every street and lant
opening on the line of march, SO tina
the eyes of foreigners or other curious
persons shall not witness the process
sion or any part of it, or get the small
est possible glimpse of the bride.
The time for the bridal procession
to start from the brides house is
J shortly after midnight, and the wed.
! ding ceremony must be over before
A. M. or good luck will not attend the
nuptials. The night, too, must be one
of full moon. All this is arranged
by board known as the 'Inquiring
into Heaven Officials" who are the
royal astrologers.
| At exactly midnight the bride is
escorted with much ceremony from
her house to the dragon car, which
she enters. She is completely muffied
from sight in elaborate bridal robes,
and the car is closed on all sides.
Over the car is held the imperial UNI
brella, and close beside the body Of
men carrying the bride walks figure
carrying the burning joss-stock. I'M
mediately in front are borne the
golden tablet, the seepter and seal.
The procession is formed half in
front and half in the rear of the
dragon car and its escorts. Head
ing the procession are the Mongul
princess and chiefs in extra grand Co.'S
tune, on pure white horses, which
are nearly covered with gold and yell
low trappings. Next come persons
bearing banners, tall triple umbrellas
and fans OF the most elaborate colors
and patterns, prominently embroidered
on which are dragons and ph9nices.
Following these are 200 lantern-bear-
ers, the lanterns being covered with
characters representing happiness.
Then comes the bridal car and attend
ants. The remainder of the process
sion is largely made up of soldiery,
the end of the line consisting of a
troop of cavalry.
When the bride has been carried
through the "Great Pure Gate" or
"Gate of the Dynasty" and other
gates and portals of the palace, she
reaches the central court which leads
70 hn
makes this proclamation "The or
ders of his sacred Majesty, the En-
porer, are fulfilled" The Emporer
then appears and receives the bride.
In each of the brides hands are
placed uncoined pieces of gold and
silver and her arms are crossed
on her breast. Then she is made to
support a vase containing wheat,
maize, rice, emeralds, sapphires,
rubies and other articles to symbolic
all that the earth produces. Then
she steps from the car upon a small
golden saddle, and in this manner
enters the palace as its chosen En-
press. The dragon is the s, mbol of
the Emperor and the Phoenix that of
the Empress, and from this the whole
ceremony is called officially. "The
union of the Dragon and the Ph9-
nix" The word dragon" is linked
to almost everything connected with
the Emperor. The Imperial canopy
which is held over the bridal car is
triple and represents an immense
yellow dragon, and the Dragon Car in
which she rides is covered with yell
low silk, with golden crown-like top
and ornamented with the dragon and
the phoenix. The "phenix and
dragon couch" has on each corner
long pieces of white jade of great
value and supposed to be the tails
mans of magic and mystic power.
They are called "Shu-i" or "Heart's
Delight" flom their power of confer
ring happiness and joy. The two
vessels which held the wine that
bride and groom drink are of gold and
are called dragon flagons.
The wedding ceremonies and festivi-
ties at the palace continue five days.
Immediately upon the brides arrival
she and the Emperor drink cup OF
wine together, exchanging cups while
drinking. In sitting down for the first
time together each tries to sit on the
others robes, the omen being that the
one who is successful in this has the
upper hand through life. After the
wine-drinking, they together worship
heaven and earth and their ances-
tors. Then they join the wedding
feast with their relatives.
On the morning following, the cere-
mony of arranging the brides hair in
the manner in which it is worn by
married women takes place. 1t con-
sists in removing the hair on the
temples, so as to make the brow have
very sharp corners on the top. The
hair is also plated in particular
manner, and made to project out in
peculiar way by means of golden
skewers. On the third day the bride
and groom appear in the most gor-
geous costumes, which are called the
Dragon and Phoenix robes. These
are literally covered with pearls and
all kinds of precious stones, and those
worn by young Emperor Tungch and
his bride cost, it is stated, 5000, 900.
On this day the Emperor holds court,
receiving the Princes and high Off
cials and their congratulations, and
making this announcement to the
foreign ministers:
"We, having with pious veneration
succeeded to the vast dominion found
ed by Our ancestors, and enjoyed in
its fullness the glorious lot to which
We have been destined, have chosen
one virtuous and modest to be the
mistress Of Our imperial home"
Following this are the name of the
bride, who she is and the date of the
wedding, and at the end are the
words, "This from the Emperor.
Elaborate, music is played by the
Imperial band throughout the ceremo-
nies. When the permission is first
formally read to the Emperor it plays
"The Emperor Triumphs;" on the
wedding day, when he appears in his
robes of state, the tune is, "The Con-
queror Comes" when the procession